WOYWW 866

 RING OUT THOSE BELLS...

It's officially Happy New Year now and what a first week it's been! We've had a fair bit of snow here, enough to stop us getting out and about, it wasn't that deep but so cold it was treacherously slippy!

Big fat flakes fell, it got a fair bit worse than this!

Consequently I've spent a lot of time in the warm crafting away and not feeling guilty about it!  I finished the blanket and bunny combo and they've now been sent off to my great niece:

I enjoyed making the bunny so much I've made the parts for another two but haven't yet got round to sewing them up:

I also found this pretty variegated yarn in the stash and I thought I'd knit a little cardi/hat as a bit of mindless tv crafting ( I have to concentrate and follow the pattern - mostly - for the bunnies)

This is the scene in the JanCave at the moment:

Some more sunflowers WiPs and, oh look, there's some new fabric, it's part of the Sewing Rules to start the New Year with some fresh stash! Isn't it? Or did I make that up...possibly... *snigger*  Anyway, I struck gold in the Doughty's Sale:

You so rarely see a decent cat print that I just had to get a couple of metres of each of these, I know they'll go well!

As it's forecast for more snow at the end of the week, I may make a start on cutting some of these out. My days of going sledging are over!

Sending big hugs to Neet who is still in hospital, we miss you so much lovely gal and can't wait until your name is on the list again  xx

Have a great week xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

WOYWW 865

 WITH THE WASSAILING BOWL WE'LL DRINK TO THEE!

Here we are then, the very last day of 2025, another year of desky sharing, fun and camaraderie over and a new one lies ahead. I wish you all good health, happiness and joyful times through 2026.

It's been an odd year for us with many best laid plans going AWOL, this continued when our son Owen couldn't make it home for Christmas, he's been extremely poorly with flu or Covid, so we jointly decided to postpone things. That's just the way this year has been!

I have been back in the Jancave after getting things back to normal:

It's been good to get back to some sewing! I had one metre of this funky sunflowers fabric in my stash so am making 1 folding tote, 4 glasses cases and 3 little zippy bags (and a partridge in a pear tree, la la la!)

This makes me happy!

I've also been trying out other knitting patterns and enjoyed making this little rabbit:

She stands about 7" high - the pattern was bought from Etsy and is the most verbose, fussiest set of instructions I've read recently. And I disagreed with the construction of quite a few parts so once again did my own thing, especially with the dress....why change the habits of a lifetime eh?? Lol xxx

G and I took down our decorations yesterday, I do like a fresh clean house to start a new year and I'm sorting through the Christmas cards to upcycle or recycle:

I enjoy doing this, upcycling into new cards or tags where possible. 

And that it's for this week. I'd like to thank you all for your continuing friendship and support of my blog. Sending big hugs to you especially Neet, we're thinking of you lovely gal and missing you so much.

Happy New Year from me and my boys, lots of love, LLJ xxxx

WOYWW 864

 WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS 

AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's the last day before Christmas and I'd like to send my very good wishes to you and hopes for a happy, healthy and riotous New Year!

Here's my Christmas card to you all, something a bit daft (remind you of anyone?!)  

Our Christmas is going to be slightly different to what we'd planned as our eldest son Owen has been really poorly and not well enough to drive a long journey, so everything has been pushed back to next weekend when he'll hopefully be ok. Not a problem, it'll just extend the festivities for a bit longer.

A lovely thing happened this week, Mary Anne offered to send me £43 to make up our RNLI crafting total to the round £2,000!! So kind of you MA, the crafting girls were really happy to hear of your kindness. The WOYWW loveliness continues, it's a marvellous thing xxx

Talking of Deskers:

Lynne and I had a long overdue catch up yesterday, it's great that after 43 years of friendship we can still natter on for ages lol! I was doing some crocheting while we chatted:

I'm making a blanket for a present to give in January so got to get a move on!

Talking of presents, I had a couple of early ones from my dear mates Kim and Sue:

Kim made me a book of watercolour paper and found these beautiful pearlescent paints - I am definitely going to carve out more painting time next year to use these gorgeous lovelies.

And Sue gave me this fun little knitting brooch (plus a beautiful scarf). Isn't it fab? That's definitely going on my denim jacket with a few other prized bits and pieces xx Thanks lovely gals!!

Once again, I'd like to thank you for all the amazing comments, sharing and support through another year of WOYWW. I'm so happy that our wonderful community still meets up every week, it's a really positive thing. Thinking of Neet, I hope you're doing ok lovely gal - you really are in all our thoughts. Big Hugs xx

Have a wonderful day tomorrow and a good week! xxxxxxxxx

WOYWW 863

 TWAS IN THE MOON OF WINTERTIME

WHEN ALL THE BIRDS HAD FLED

(The Huron Carol, give it a listen here on Youtube)

Hi everyone, hope you're all doing ok and avoiding the madness in the lead up to Christmas.  It has quietened down a lot for me this week, a haircut, shop shift and seeing friends is all I'm doing!  Sending hugs to Neet who I've not heard from this week, hope you're doing ok lovely lass, we miss you on the desks - hope you're home for Christmas xx

Last Saturday was the final fair which made £204, taking the Christmas fundraising up to £1957 since November! We were all chuffed. To say thank you to the ladies, I hosted a tea, cakes and crafting afternoon at my place:

Sue led the sew/beaded card table...

And Kim taught us how to make gift boxes!

We had such a lovely afternoon, full of fun and laughs. Betty (in the bright blue cardi) is great company and how I want to be when I'm 90!  And they've asked if we're doing more next year - definitely!!

I had a big sort out of the stuff we'd made and all that was left was:

Not bad eh? I apologise for the mooning snowman....there's always one....

I am not doing any more Christmas crafting at the moment but have to do something, so all the festive yarn went away and I dug out odds and sods to make baby stuff for the local hospital:

Mindless knitting, I can do these in my sleep - the little cardi is a great pattern, you knit it from the top down and it's all in one, no sewing up, hurrah!!

And I might have bought some new patterns, these are legit ones bought from Etsy as digital downloads hence the paper copies!

Did someone mention Easter?! Lol! I'm looking forward to knitting the puffin in particular, it's an easy pattern but very effective.

Hope you're all keeping fit and well and dodging all the bugs that are around. Love and hugs to you all xxxxxx

WOYWW 862

 THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND...

Hi there lovely Deskers, hope life is treating you well. It's been one of those weeks for us, G was properly poorly but has improved since the weekend and then our chimney had a big leak around the flashing. A wonderful local company came out and repaired it within 48 hours, so grateful as we've had storms for two days running now.  Ah well, still smiling...!

But things had to carry on, it was the RNLI Christmas at the Boathouse event last Sunday:

I was helped out again by my amazing mates Kim (the Elf!) and Sue plus all the wonderful making by the ladies in the shop. The stall looked pretty and we made £300 in two hours!

And we had a lot of fun!

I did a quick stock check the following day and we have sufficient things for next Saturday's fair, the last of the season. We're low on some choc orange covers so I've made a couple more Santas:

I might make a couple of reindeer as well, if they don't sell, the covers can be put by for next year!

As well as mates helping me with the stalls, another lovely friend, Eva from Austria, sent me a surprise parcel, inside of which was:

A beautiful folk art horse that Eva made herself plus:

The most beautiful little book, again made by Eva. Inside each little page had something special about my blog:

Isn't it wonderful? It's only 4cms tall so I can only admire the patience that it took to make it. I love them Eva, thank you so much for the lovely surprise, I will treasure them xx

And that's just another reminder of the friendship found in this community, online and in my hometown. How blessed am I?

Still thinking of Neet as well, I do hope she's beginning to feel a bit better and will get home for Christmas xx

Have a great week, love to you all xxxx

WOYWW 861

 I'M LOVING ANGELS INSTEAD

What a swift week that was! We seem to be saying the same thing but this really did whip by. Consequently I haven't done much crafting so this post will be short and sweet.

Last Friday saw the town's big Christmas event with a parade, lights switch on and craft fair. Five RNLI gals helped me out as it was a long session, 2.30-7.30pm. After I set up the stall I left them to it and returned for the last hour/derig - they enjoy running the stall as much as I do!

I took all the small Christmas stuff and it all looked very festive.

The robins have been especially popular this year...

As were the pigs in blankets and snowmen made by Sue.

And the Christmas stockings made by Sandra! I wasn't expecting too much from this fair but boy was I wrong...we took £336 which was amazing and took us over the £12k, we were all chuffed with that! The next event is Christmas at the RNLI Boathouse next Sunday so whatever I've got left will be on the stall lol! 

I've made a couple of things to fill in the gaps:

More mice and gnomes!

And possibly a few angels as well, see how this week pans out!

And that's it, hope you're all keeping well - G has a horrible cold at the moment so I'm keeping everything crossed that I don't get it! Keep taking the Vit C and Zinc xx

Have a good week xxxxx

WOYWW 860

 OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY...

Good morning all you lovely deskers, thanks for turning up for another week's worth of meanderings! The bunch of gals who meet up over at Sarah's have become true friends, the care and support should be bottled, it wouldn't half improve the world. Hoping that Neet is feeling better, sending hugs xx

The fair on Saturday went better than I'd anticipated:

The organisation and advertising hadn't been that great tbh (think it was their first time) but the footfall was steady and we took another couple of hundred so that was a useful couple of hours. My mate Kim came and helped, so we had a natter and enjoyed ourselves! Only £200 to go to £12k, so I reckon that's achievable.

Back home I've done a trial run for the Tea and Craft afternoon that I'm hosting for the lovely ladies who have worked so very hard knitting and making for the stall - Sue and Kim are also leading some crafting for that too, for which I'm very grateful xx

I got out that sparkly tulle bought recently:

and found all the other bits and pieces we need...

A little angel! Nothing too complicated as we've not got hours to spare and the ladies range up to 90. Hope they'll enjoy making it.

I also bought some fabric which was reduced:

These will no doubt feature over the next few weeks as I've sold a lot of trios of bags/purse/glasses case recently and need to replenish the stock. 

Finally (and apologies to you who've seen these pics on FB), the items that were bought and sent to the Falklands have arrived - here's the proof:

I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to have seen these, it has truly made me so happy! I'm grateful to the lady for taking the pics and sending them to Ali, the Ukraine Humanitarian Convoy organiser - it was Ali who sold the bits I sent to raise money for toiletries to put in the bags for women and children in Ukraine, thanks so much lovely gal xxxx Hope you've raised loads xxxx

Short and sweet today, I'm getting stuff sorted for the town's Christmas Parade/Lights switch on/fair on Friday. Once again I'm so fortunate in having helpers from the RNLI group, many hands make light work!

Have a great week xxxx